The Night Watch | The Nocturnal Chronicles {Book One}

Chapter 16 - The Journey Pt. 1

"Their is no trip, no destination with the journey. And what is better than the journey? Nothing. It takes the journey to make the destination worth it."

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The Road.
It was made of dirt patches and cobblestone, and it lasted forever. Erudessa didn't understand of one trip could take her to these kinds of places. She had been on this main road for two days now with Brynn. It seemed to last forever, but at the end was Cordinia, their destination. The House of Scholars awaited them there. If only the journey was easier. It seemed twice as long since Brynn's horse required rest every five hours. It should have taken them three days to get to Cordinia. Instead, they would be on the main road for three more days, making the total a grand six days.

Riding with Brynn and his old horse wasn't a bad. Erudessa awaited eagerly whenever he promised to tell her about some of his adventures. He had been on many since he joined the Night Watch. They all included life-threatening situation where he came face to face with brutal barbarians, scheming pirates, and lying thieves. He had seen the world outside the Realms. A world still recovering from the Devastation. He told her how the people there looked so sad and haunted by their own lives.

Erudessa had never a saddle sore before, but she was eager to be free of it now that she had. Her butt and thighs were numb. She knew her horse's legs ached as well. They had to go at a slow spend for Brynn's grandpa horse. That was the only downside of the time. The damned horse. Sometime she wanted to get out her knife and kill it just so they could spare it and themselves from its already slow death. She hated the cursed thing.

Tall, snow-capped mountains stretched around them. The sky was pale blue and clouds were scattered across it. The trees glowed in the evening sunlight. Erudessa knew they would have to stop and rest soon. Just a few more days and they would finally make it to Cordinia. She would probably lose over two weeks to this mission though. Two weeks she would rather be spending with Edwin. How was she supposed to make a decision if she barely knew him? Maybe that was Grimm's plan. She didn't care.

Despite the cold wind, the sun was warm against her face. She closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp autumn air. It spelled faintly of pine and burning wood. Opening her eyes, a cloud of smoke caught her eye. It seemed safe, probably just a campfire. Since it was getting late, anyone out at this time would want to stop and make camp anyways. That was what it was.

Erudessa always thought there was something magical about the look of the trees during autumn. It was amazing how they could turn from green to warm colors like red, orange, and yellow. Then, they would just fall away and the trees would be prepared for the long months of winter. They were so beautiful during autumn and winter. First, they would burn, and then, they would freeze. Then, they would be reborn, and start the whole cycle over again.

Sometimes, she would request going on assignments out of the city just so she could go out and see things like this. It was a world of beautiful they was rarely seen by anyone. Not many people took trips so they were always cooped up inside cities and towns were trees were scarce because they would use them for their resources, like firewood. It took a lot of trees to warm a city.

Erudessa looked over at Brynn. He was a lot different when he wasn't hunting her down, or something was bothering him. His shoulder were slouched and he had dark circled under his eyes. His knuckled were white from his firm grip on the reins. Back in the forest, he seemed so calm and composed. Of course, his hood was drawn over his face, and he had an arrow to her nose at the time. Still, he seemed different with all of that gone.

They came to a small stream and decided to set up camp. It wasn't long before the horses were tied to a tree near the water and fed. Erudessa and Brynn sat by a crackling fire and ate a dinner of their own. Erudessa stared up at the sky as it got darker. The sun had set and the stars were coming out. Each of its own size and intensity. Queen Miriel told her that each star was someone who when to Afterlife. Everyone who ever died would become a star, and they would guide you on your journeys. Nowadays, she questioned that. It just seemed like a story to keep children entertained. If they really were in Afterlife, why would they come back? The ghostly forms of the Elder and King Eben still haunted her.